Suvarna Soudha or Suvarna Vidhana Soudha? Well, there was no ready answer to the question from either politicians or officials who are busy and anxious in making Thursday’s inaugural programme a success.
For the moment, the name will have to be just Suvarna Soudha, as it has been known all these years. But in the coming days, it will be changed to Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.
Though invitation cards, banners and the plaque itself read Suvarna Soudha, a day before the inauguration, Speaker K G Bopaiah sent across feelers that the decision on the modified name would be announced on Thursday, during the inaugural.
However, as no government notification has been issued to this effect, confusion prevailed among the officialdom, which was clueless about the name change.
Late in the day, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar clarified that the structure would be inaugurated as Suvarna Soudha.
“As there is a demand for the name change, the government is seriously contemplating it. But the name Suvarna Soudha has already been printed in the invitation cards. It has been decided to display a banner with the name Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, in the backdrop. The inauguration plaque and the inscription atop the building will have the name Suvarna Soudha for now. After the inauguration, the name change will be formally announced. There are legal formalities to be completed,” he told Deccan Herald.
The changes will be incorporated in the plaque and inscription too, he added.
Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah said it was “important” that the name be changed. Many prominent people have demanded for this – even the people of Belgaum want the word Vidhana added.
The Speaker had also sought the permission of the chief minister’s office to inscribe ‘Kayakave Kailasa’, meaning work is worship in the façade of the building. At the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore, the inscription reads - Government’s work is God’s work.
The Assembly secretariat, going by the sentiments of the local people, wanted ‘Kayakave Kailasa’, a line from a vachana of Jedara Dasimayya, who lived in the 10th century, much before social reformer Basavanna.
The chief minister’s office has not yet indicated its decision so far.